The present invention relates to power-driven gripping tools for gripping a member between a pair of jaws. The invention is particularly applicable to suturing devices for use by a surgeon in suturing a wound, and is therefore described below with respect to this application.
The suturing device of the present invention is particularly directed to assist the surgeon in suturing deep tissues especially in the abdominal region, for example, while performing Marshall Marchetti operations, gall bladder operations, intestinal operations, and the like. Suturing the tissues when performing such deep abdominal surgical operations is particularly difficult since the abdominal region is extremely crowded, obscuring the surgeon's vision and also requiring him frequently to move tissues aside in order to expose and view other tissues. In addition, the abdominal region contains abdominal fluids which further obscure the surgical area and also require draining. The present surgical techniques require the surgeon to use both his hands when inserting the suture needle containing the suture and pulling it out to perform the stitch. This not only deprives the surgeon from using one hand for exposing the surgical area or draining the abdominal fluids, but also tends to further obscure the surgical area; in addition, an assistant is frequently required to perform many of the tasks.
Several suturing devices have been previously proposed which include a handle having a pair of needle holders each movable to an extended position or to a retracted position, with each needle holder including a pair of gripper members movable to a closed position for gripping a needle therebetween, or to an open position releasing the needle. Examples of previously proposed suturing device of this type are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,601,564 and 3,073,311. Insofar as we are aware, however, neither of these suturing devices has gained any widespread use, and this is probably because of the great manual effort required by the surgeon in moving the needle holders and also the pair of gripper members during the surgical operation.
One object of the present invention is to provide a new power-driven gripping tool particularly useful as a suturing device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a suturing device having advantages over the previously known suturing devices of this type.